The Inauguration Committee for President-elect Barack Obama officially extended an invitation Wednesday for NASA to be part of the 56th Inaugural Parade on Jan. 20.

The seven astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour will spend Thanksgiving in orbit around the Earth.

To: STATE EDITORS Contact: Katherine Trinidad, Headquarters, Washington, +1-202- 358-3749, katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov, or Candrea Thomas, Kennedy Space Center, Fla., +1-321-867-2468, candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov, both of NASA CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Oct.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has assigned the crew for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission, set to launch next September. NASA said the shuttle will deliver equipment to the International Space Station that will enable larger crews to reside aboard the orbiting complex.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has assigned the space shuttle crew for Endeavour's STS-126 mission, targeted for launch in September 2008. The flight will deliver equipment to the International Space Station that will enable larger crews to reside aboard the complex.